With sign-and-trade talks for Indiana center Brad Miller not going anywhere, Knicks GM Scott Layden has had conversations with the Pacers about a deal for small forward Al Harrington that would send Charlie Ward to Indiana, sources say.

While the Knicks' No. 1 goal is to obtain a center, Layden hasn't given up trying to add size at the small-forward position, which is why Keith Van Horn continues to be a target. Last night, two GMs at the Boston summer league said they thought the Knicks and Sixers had struck a deal but both clubs firmly denied it.

"There's been a lot of activity," said Layden, who walked out of the gym with Sixers GM Billy King before last night's Knicks game, spending 10 minutes in the parking lot.

Harrington, a New Jersey native, lost his "base-year compensation" tag on July 1 and is now able to be traded without the Pacers and Knicks needing a third team to make the deal work mathematically.

Sources said the Sixers and Knicks need a third team to make a deal work, as Philly doesn't have interest in Latrell Sprewell. If the Knicks give up Kurt Thomas in a package, they'd want Van Horn and another big man back. A Van Horn-for-Thomas trade would make the Knicks smaller, not bigger. King told a reporter the Knicks haven't offered them Thomas.

The Pacers desperately are shopping for a point guard especially now that Erick Strickland has left for Milwaukee and Jamaal Tinsley has leveled off. The 6-9 Harrington is expendable because the Pacers have a lot of swingmen - Ron Artest, Ron Mercer, even Jonathan Bender. The contracts work out perfectly, with Harrington making $5.6M and Ward $6.2M. Frank Williams' strong summer league has given Layden more leeway in moving Ward.